Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
Notes
Aedh was a Celtic God of Death, one of the children of Lir.
Yeats seems to have used this character in some of his stories along with Ahearne and Michael Robartes and describes him as fire reflected in water.
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From guest Leo (contact)
One of the most beautiful love poems, which shows very well what feels a man fell in love with a woman... -
From guest Krompira to S. (contact)
"Aedh" or "he" refers to every man that ever loved and gives the poem universal meaning. "Heavens' embroidered cloths" symbolises universe and everything in it, "golden" the sun, "and silver light" the moon, "The blue and the dim and the dark cloths" the sky in all it's colours and glory, "Of night and light and the half-light" the time - past, present, and future, also nights, days and it's alternations. He rhymes by repeating the words: cloths, lights, under your feet, my dreams. Using reiteration ( pogodi gde sam ovo pokupila ) he emphasizes the contrast of what he would give if it were in his power and what he had already given, because her grandeur and divinity are only comparable with heavens'. She deserves all than one has to offer, and slightly fears that it might not be enough ( "tread softly because you tread on my dreams ) . "I have spread my dreams under your feet" he says, so this is not just an empty promise leaving her to wait for fulfilment, it's a confession ( stressed with his humble statement "But I, being poor" ) after which a man remains completely vulnerable. Therefore in his dreams ( dreams = himself ), he hopes that she will accept his love that he had spread before her. "Aedh WISHES For The Cloths Of Heaven" because only then he would be certain. Only if he could give her the whole world she would without a doubt be his love. Last and the most important, since the women who had sent me this breathtaking poem was actually a virtual stranger I think she's just hitting on me. :) lol Oh, and the poem has nothing to do with god what so ever -
Yeats' 'Cloths Of Heaven'
Seeming simplicity belies wonderful imagery! Extended metaphor of celestial 'cloth', magically transformed into the humble 'dreams' is wonderful. Love the quiet imperative in last line which seems to be a plea due to the adverb 'softly' and the hushed sibilance; a lovely classic indeed! -
Original Manuscript
From guest Betty (contact)
Original MS of this written by Yeats on a postcard on display at the National Library. Click here -
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Betty - thank you very much for the link. I watched the video there too which was fascinating.
Von
Oldpoetry
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I have always liked this poem. It's dreamlike and fantastic for that reason. Being Irish, not being biased, I have always been drawn to this man's poetry. He could be dark yet witty, or sad but funny at the same time. He wrote from the heart and this poem epitomises love for me, through his words. A classic masterpiece. I will carry this with me in my heart until my dying day.
Shauna D. -
Wonderful
He is obviously talking about the colours of the skies and wants to give all that beauty to someone but its in his dreams so he give his all.I can also see this in a different way, the colours being spiritual and not physical so something like a prayer. -
typical descriptions of poets in general... especially the romantic ones... dwelling in a world of dreams...
and his tender request ... to tread softly, otherwise he might wake up to his real world...
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That seems a rather sweeping and unjustified criticism of 'poets in general'. Most of them (us?) live in the all too real world.
They (we?) might like to live in a dream world but reality keeps intruding.
Jim -
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lol... didnt mean to offend...
real poetry comes from such poets... lost in a world of syllables, words and dreams...
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I tend to think only of lines 7 and 8 in this poem by Yeats. Friends over the years have told me about wonderful ideas they have had. Often I have thought to myself "load of rubbish" but then I have remembered this poem and I have encouraged the person's dreams and the pleasure has been mine to see the hope in their eyes that their dreams might come true.
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The work Aedh in the poem cloths of heaven is gaelic for the word he The poem is really He Wishes For The Cloths of Heaven.
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This is my favorite Yeats piece. It was read by Anthony Hopkins in a movie, 89 Chering Cross Road When you hear it read .. it has so much more depth. The Aedh is gaelic for He. I use this poem to shield myself .. asking people to please not tread on my dreams. I wish I could have met this man .
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You heard this poem first on "Equilibrium"...lol so did i, i loved it so much that i immedeatly had to look it up, i also loved how the actor read it, i liked the movie too, lol
~kar -
This is my most favorite poem in the whole world, but it has one word that always nags at me, in the last line when I say it in my head I always want to change "because" to "for", I guess my brain just thinks for is a more poetic word. Will must have had his reasons, and it puzzles me to this day, lol.... but I still can't get enough of this poem, I have it memorized. So now I am looking for more of his poems that reach me at this deep level.
~kar
Edited on Aug 31, 8:34 p.m. because ''. -
I first heard this poem recited in a movie called "Equilibrium" and I fell in love with it. Yes I agree, a poem of betrayel...
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it's perfect...so melancholy, modest...its beautiful..
but beauty is in the eye of the beholder...and we dnt see things as they are we see them as we are...so...i guess tht leaves me with no opinion? -
So, so moving.....
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EXTREMELY AND ABSOLUTELY SUPERBE !
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this is a poem written of such deep emotion toward one loves but unattainable that it's not only endearing, it's heart-wrenching. i etched this into a pot i once made in a ceramics class because i found it so beautiful. i gave it to the man that is now my husband when i felt i had nothing left to offer him. it made him cry when he read it, and now it's made me cry all over again thinking about that moment. he told me that even if i had nothing at all, i would still have me, and that was enough. it was at that moment i told him i woudl marry him, and he could have all i had to offer for the rest of our lives. we've been married for over a year now and i feel this poem had something to do with it. it's one of the most beautiful pieces i've ever read, and i love it very dearly.
there is nothing more beautiful than love this pure. when one wishes for more to give so they could have another forever, the love runs very deep and true. no one should ask of another for more than that. -
The feelings this envokes in me are ones of deep hope. Laying before someone my desires, my deepest feelings and thoughts, to cushion their steps. It also shows trust. Being able to perform a task of such weight and magnitude is a thing no strong man or woman could easily do, nonetheless a weak one. Anxiety comes with these words as well, nervousness at the outcome of the exposure.
The meaning of this is a simple and beautiful one. These are my emotions, my fears and hopes, what I strive for everyday. Do not take them lightly. Rather, cradle and nurture them, as they may one day blossom. To break one's dreams is to break the in turn.
The structure of this poem is simple, but it does not need to be complicated to convey it's point. The rhythm of it is very mellow and flowing, and makes it easy to imagine it being spoken in your mind. The wording is perfect, I don't think any more justice could have been given to this thought than Yeats has in this. It's a magnificent write, in every aspect.
Overall, this is one of the best pieces I have ever read. Actually the only one I felt obliged to add to my favorites so far. Its message iswonderful and pure, undiluted by politics or biases, lacking hate and despair. It's excellent, and I greatly enjoyed reading it. -
The ultimate poem of betrayal. An incredibly moving piece.
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batgaz
Aedh Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven, is the title it was given when first published in The Wind Among the Reeds, Later Aedh was replaced with He.
Adeh is the Irish form of Hugh, and also means fire, his origins are from Irish mythology.
Andrew -
I love this poem. One of my favourites. Never seen it with the title 'Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven' before though. Anyone know who 'Aedh' is or is it just a typo?
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I have never read this one before and it really is quite amazing. There is such a tentativeness about it. Going forth, taking the chance, knowing all you dream could be crushed...yet laying them down and hoping that "someone" will tread lightly.
UB
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i love thios poem. i first heard it in chorus, a song we had to learn for it. it's been a fave ever since.
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beautiful!
I first read it in a book of New Zealand poetry,years ago, I just can't forget it... -
Beautiful and melancholic. Few words convey such depths of emotion.
krishna -
im in tears, it's so beautiful. it's somthing you'd say to the one you love
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Surely the most magical use of words... only 8 lines convey such depth of sorrow and desire - only an Irishman could have crafted this...
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